


Bad Reputation

by superwhowolflocked



Series: Inspired by Music [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Anchors, Derek Deserves Nice Things, Disgusting amounts of fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, Fluff, If you keep reading these tags you will get spoilers, Love Confessions, M/M, Stiles Wants To Give Them To Him, for real
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-07-01 23:09:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15784026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/superwhowolflocked/pseuds/superwhowolflocked
Summary: After presenting what he felt was a solid plan for facing the latest string of hunters in town, Derek is reminded that he still isn't fully trusted within Scott's pack. Stiles thinks that's a load of crap. He believes Derek has more than proved himself as a crucial member of their group and he intends to make sure Derek knows it.





	Bad Reputation

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by the song "Bad Reputation" by Shawn Mendes. If you would like to listen to it, you can find my favorite version of it by copying the link below. 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LueM9tEu2wI
> 
> While this fic is based off of this song, it _is not_ a song fic. No italicized lyrics will be found anywhere!  
>  Big thanks to my sister for beta reading this for me! (but, we are both human so there are probably still several mistakes. If so, I'm sorry. Just let me know in the comments and I'll edit them!) 
> 
> That's all for now!
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy!

The pack had all been gathered around the island counter of Derek’s kitchen for what felt like hours. Still, none of them had come up with a solid plan to defeat the latest wave of hunters without getting one or more of them seriously injured or killed. So, when Derek finally spoke up, they were all willing to listen. 

“I don’t know,” Scott hesitated after Derek finished. “Are we sure that’s the best plan of action?” 

“Yeah,” Liam added, “no offense Derek, but your plans haven’t exactly gone well in the past.”

Stiles looked up from the floor plans he was examining and stared directly at Derek who appeared as stoic as always. The man was perfect at hiding his emotions, but Stiles could tell he was hurt. The glint in his eyes had faded, and his muscles had tensed slightly. Derek had come a long way since their days of kanimas, darachs, and alpha packs, becoming a crucial member of their pack since he and Cora had returned, but still many of the group continued to keep him at an arm’s length; even the newer members who hadn’t experienced the chaos of the situations first hand. 

“No, he’s right, guys,” Stiles interjected, hoping to defuse some of the tension Derek was now holding in his clench jaw. Stiles knew he was biting his tongue, trying not to cause inner-pack issues when they were already fighting an outside foe. “Not only is this our best option, it’s our only option, if we want everyone to leave alive and intact.” Still, the other pack members looked nervous. “Do any of you lame wolves have a better idea? Because if so, please speak up. I’d love to hear it. Especially since I’m the one who usually comes up with the plans, and I’m telling you Derek’s is the best, _only_ , option we have.” Again, they all remained silent. “That’s what I thought. Now,” he continued, addressing Derek directly, “can you go over it again? Just to make sure everyone knows their role.” Derek nodded and began explaining things again, this time in greater detail. 

“Alright, I think that’s enough for tonight,” Scott declared, rubbing his hand over his face in an attempt to banish the sleep that was creeping up on him. “We can go over this more tomorrow before everything’s in set into motion, but it’s way past nightfall and some of us,” he said, eyeing the three youngest members of the pack, “still have school in the morning.” Liam, Mason, and Corey, all rolled their eyes, but didn’t argue. They were ready to go home. “Remember, just because the hunters haven’t attacked yet, doesn’t mean they won’t at any time. They made their intentions very clear when Chris went to try and negotiate with them. So, use the buddy system. No one should be alone, even at school. They’ll try to grab you when they think you’re the most vulnerable.” 

“I have all of your houses warded, so you won’t have to worry about them grabbing you while you’re sleeping, but it’s still safer if you stick together,” Stiles explained. 

“If that’s all,” Theo interrupted, “can we go now? Not all of us survive on two hours of sleep, Adderall, and coffee.” Stiles scoffed at the chimera and Liam punched him in the arm. 

“Why are you always trying to start shit?” the younger boy hissed. Theo shrugged and smirked, not bothering to answer. “Whatever, asshole, let’s just go before you get yourself kicked out of the pack, or zapped by some weird emissary magic.” 

“He’s still living with you?” Scott questioned. 

“Yeah,” Liam grumbled. “He has no where else to go, and I can’t let him live in his car. It’s temporary, though,” Liam tried. He wasn’t fooling anyone. Everyone knew, despite their bickering, Liam and Theo were quite close. 

“If you’re all done talking about me like I’m not in the room, I’d really like to leave now. I’ve had about as much pack bonding as I can handle for one night,” Theo snarked.

“Would you shut up,” Liam growled then turned back to the rest of the group. “We’ll see you guys tomorrow. I’m going to get him home before he says something really stupid.” With that, they exited the loft, Liam murmuring profanities under his breath the entire way.

“Those kids are so cute,” Stiles chuckled once they were gone. “I give them two weeks tops before they’re dating.” 

“Speaking of cute couples,” Mason interjected, “Corey and I are heading out, also.”

“We’ll call you if anything happens.” Corey added, grabbing Mason’s hand and pulling him from the loft before anyone could stop them. 

“We should probably be leave, too” Lydia said, bumping Cora’s shoulder with her own. “We’re going shopping in the morning.” 

“I told you, there’s nothing wrong with my wardrobe,” Cora protested. 

“Cora, sweetie, you can’t wear nothing but black. Even your dark and brooding brother over there wears the occasional blue and green. Besides, we need to add some colors that will make those pretty tawny eyes of yours pop.” 

Cora looked to the side and blushed. “Fine,” she conceded, and together they walked toward the door. 

Stiles gaped at them as they went, completely flabbergasted. “What?” he sputtered, gesturing wildly at the door they disappeared through. “When did that happen?!” 

Derek shrugged, “A couple of weeks after they moved in together, I guess. They still aren’t official, but Cora’s happy, so I’m not pushing it.” 

“Right,” Stiles nodded, still in a bit of shock.

“Hey,” Malia chastised, waving her hand in front of his face and pulling Stiles from his daze. “quit being a pervert.” 

“What?” he exclaimed, now in a different kind of shock, “I wasn’t… That’s not even… They are both like my sisters… I couldn’t… gross,” he concluded. The remaining pack members laughed at his obvious discomfort. 

“It’s fine Stiles, we know,” Scott chuckled. “So, Malia is going with Peter, and Isaac and I are rooming together.” 

“Right, ‘rooming together,’” Stiles repeated sarcastically and Isaac started coughing in the background.

“You’re going to be with your dad, so that just leaves you, Derek. You can stay at our place, if you want?” Scott offered

“Actually, I was going to see if I could stay here until we drive the hunters out of town?” Stiles asked before Derek could respond.

“Oh?” Derek and Scott said in unison. 

“Yeah, my dad’s on thirds this week. And since everyone else has someone to stay with…” he trailed off.

“Sure, that’s fine,” Derek replied like it was no big deal.

“Awesome, thanks,” Stiles smiled, and he could have sworn he saw something in Derek’s eyes flash.

“Well, that solves that problem. I guess we’ll be going then,” Scott said. 

“Not us,” Peter smirked from his spot in the corner. “I think we’ll stick around for a little while. Just hang out. Maybe have a little family bonding time.” 

“Malia, _you’re_ welcome to stay,” Derek smiled at his cousin, “but _you_ ,” he continued, now addressing the pest, otherwise known as his uncle. “Get out.” 

“It’s fine,” Malia laughed, grabbing her father by the arm and dragging him out of the room, “we’re both going. Now,” she reiterated when her father began to protest. Sometimes it was hard to tell who the actual parent was in their relationship.

Scott and Isaac hung around for a few more minutes before leaving, and just like that, Stiles and Derek were alone. This was far from the first time Stiles had stayed at Derek’s. He frequently passed out at the counter while doing research on their latest threats. Sometimes, he was there so often the pack had started commenting on how the loft smelled more like him than it did Derek. 

But, there was something different about tonight. A tension hung in the air, and Stiles wasn’t sure why. Deciding to ignore it, he started cleaning up the mess the pack had left behind; empty pop and water bottles, snack wrappers, books and blueprints scattered everywhere. Derek began helping him once he’d finished the dishes. Neither one of them said anything as they cleaned, and even with the ever-growing tension, the whole thing felt very domestic, and the idea of it made Stiles’ stomach flutter.

Once they had finished tidying the loft, each of them settled into their usual spots (Stiles tried not to think too much about the fact that he had a “usual spot”), Derek on the couch with a book, and Stiles at the counter clicking through site after site on his laptop, but the tension still didn’t fade. After the third time of looking up from his screen to catch Derek glancing in his direction, he closed his laptop with a sigh and stared at Derek expectantly. When the wolf didn’t say anything, Stiles abandon his spot at the counter and plopped down next to him on the couch. “Alright, out with it, Big Guy,” he prodded. Derek tried to ignore him by paying closer attention to his book, but Stiles swiped it from his hands and marked the page with the photo Derek had been using as a bookmark. Stiles’ heartrate spiked when he saw it was a picture the two of them and Scott. Though, if the crease was anything to go by, it appeared Scott had been folded out of the picture. Quickly, he snapped the book shut and directed his attention back to Derek. He didn’t say anything, just crossed his legs, balanced his elbows on his thighs, cupped his cheeks in his hands, and waited.

Derek grumbled and rolled his eyes, “It’s nothing,” he lied. 

“Derek, you could slice through this tension with your claws. Tell me what has you so worked up. Please?” Stiles requested. He placed a light hand on Derek’s knee, trying to convey that he was sincere. As soon as his fingertips touched the denim of Derek’s jeans, he felt the older man tense and then relax. 

“Really, it’s nothing,” Derek grumbled, not making eye contact with him. “I just wanted to say, ‘Thank you,’” he finally admitted. 

“’Thank you?’ For what?” Stiles questioned curiously. 

“For supporting my plan when the rest of the pack didn’t.” 

“Oh,” Stiles said, and immediately felt dumb for it. “I mean, there’s no reason to thank me. Like I told them, it really is the best plan. I’m not just saying that.” 

“I know. But it… it means a lot that you believe in me when the rest of them don’t,” Derek confessed. 

Stiles’ hand was still on Derek’s knee and he tightened his grip slightly. “That’s because they all have this image of you in their head, but they are wrong,” Stiles reassured. 

“Are they?” Derek sounded like he really didn’t know the answer. “I _have_ made a lot of bad decisions in my life… Kate… and I know what they say about me… how I’m the guy who was suspected of murder… twice. How I can’t be trusted. How I’m just another mistake waiting to happen.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Stop right there, mister,” Stiles interrupted. “First of all, I don’t give shit what they say about you. Secondly, Kate was absolutely _not_ your fault, and I will continue to tell you that every single day for the rest of our lives, if I have to, until you believe me. _She_ is the only one at fault. I would rip her throat out myself, if I had the claws or fangs to do it, for the things she did to you.” 

“Stiles,” Derek tried, but Stiles was having none of it.

“Lastly, you did the best you could with the situations you were handed. When you first arrived, you had just lost the only remaining member of your family and pack, were dealing with a freshly changed werewolf and his spastic best friend causing you all kinds of grief, and had a murderous uncle rampaging around town on a power trip. Not to mention being the main suspect in a murder case.” Derek arched an eyebrow at him and Stiles laughed. “I know, I know, my bad. Anyway. After that, when you tried to build yourself a pack, you were once again faced with beta’s who didn’t want to listen, a crazy lizard douche, a psycho hunter, then an alpha pack, another psychotic bitch, and a very sexy demon fox,” Stiles winked at him. “Still, all without the support of a pack. Sure, we would team up, but partnering up because you have to, and partnering up because someone actually values you and what you bring to the team are two completely different things. I'm not done,” Stiles stated when it looked like Derek was going to try and speak again. “Did you make the greatest choices? No. But I’d like to see any of us do any better when faced with the same obstacles.”

Stiles had seen it for years, the way Derek was baring the weight of all his past mistakes on his shoulders; blaming himself for every time someone got injured on his watch, believing what people thought about him. He had a bad reputation and he was being swallowed by it, sinking deeper into it with every whispered comment and act of mistrust. Stiles could see the man’s soul breaking and it made his blood run cold. He needed to fix this, needed to make the man in front of him understand that he was cared about, no matter what anyone else thought about him.

“Derek, you are so much more than your mistakes. I need you to know that, okay?” 

“Why?” Derek asked. He honestly didn’t understand Stiles’ motives.

“Because I care about you, you idiot. Unlike everyone else, I’m not blinded by your past. I know what kind of man you really are. I trust you with my life, Derek, and I think… at least I hope… I’ve proven I can be trusted with yours, in return,” Stiles declared. “I’d be a pretty shitty anchor, otherwise,” he shrugged. Derek went stone still and Stiles let out thundering laugh at his expression. “Oh, come on, Derek, you didn’t honestly think you could hide that from me, did you?”

“I was hoping so,” he mumbled, looking slightly dejected. “How long have you known?” 

“Um…” Stiles began fidgeting with the sleeve of his flannel, looking more anxious by the second. “I guess, I suspected it before hand, but I really knew… when….” He paused for a long moment, the name lodging itself in his throat and refusing to surface. “Boyd,” he finally forced out barely above a whisper. “How about you? When did you know?” he quickly asked, not wanting to dwell on the painful subject.

“It was actually kind of a slow process that probably started when you held me up in that pool for two hours, but I first began noticing it happening when Scott came to me for help with his tattoo. Your presence there relaxed me. After that, it was small things, I didn’t feel the need to avoid your touches like I did with everyone else.” Stiles knew full well why Derek hated to be touched, and it made him want to kill Kate all over again. Claws and fangs be damned. He would rip her throat out with his blunt nails if he could. “In fact, they calmed me instead of making me want to recoil.” 

“I noticed that, too,” Stiles admitted. “I didn’t know what to think of it, at first, but it was one of the reasons I suspected I was your anchor.” 

Derek nodded in understanding. “I think, the switch officially happened when I thought Cora was dying. I knew, without a doubt, you would keep her safe. There is no way I would place that much trust on anyone but my anchor. I’ll admit, though,” he continued, “I did question my instincts for a couple of seconds when I regained consciousness in that elevator to find you about to punch me in the face.” 

Stiles laughed again, “In my defense, I tired waking you up for a solid two minutes before resorting to that, and I knew, with your werewolf healing, the damage would be gone in an instant.” Silence fell between them, but it was no longer taut with tension. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Stiles eventually asked.

“Because I didn’t know why it happened or what it meant.” 

“Do you know, now?” Derek nodded. “Will you tell me?” 

“Does it matter?” the wolf asked. 

“Of course, it matters,” Stiles stressed. 

“Why?” 

“What do you mean, ‘Why?’” Stiles shouted, throwing his hands in the air in exasperation. “Don’t you get it, Derek? Don’t you understand how much I care about you? Can’t you smell it on me every time I’m near you? It matters because it’s something that binds us together, and that’s so unbelievably important to me.” Derek was in shock at Stiles’ confession. He knew the younger man was attracted to him, he could smell the arousal coming off him in waves from the moment they met. Outside of missions, he had eventually learned to block his chemosignals anytime Stiles was around. But, maybe that was a mistake. 

Derek inhaled deeply, really taking in Stiles’ scent for the first time in years. He smelled of his usual anxiety and arousal, but now, there was something new, something sweet and heavy. Derek recognized it, but he couldn’t remember how. The closest thing he could think of was… want.

“Please tell me,” Stiles whispered when Derek didn’t answer.

“You were the one constant in my life amongst all the chaos.”

“Okay…?” he coaxed.

“Even when our relationship changed from reluctant allies, to friends, to… so much more, the nature of it stayed the same. I could always rely on you to do what needed to be done, and to do it with an extreme amount of sarcasm,” Stiles rolled his eyes, but he knew Derek was right. “Before you, the only constant in my life was my anger. That’s what drove me. When it began to fade, my wolf started anchoring itself to the only other constant in my life… you.” 

“So, that’s the ‘why,’” Stiles stated, trying to keep his heartrate under control and his voice even, “but what did it mean?” 

“It meant… everything,” Derek breathed. Stiles’ chemosignals immediately spiked, emitting a strong wave of that scent. It was gnawing at Derek that he couldn’t place it. “It meant that, more so than before, you were the person I relied on, turned to for advice, trusted implicitly. It meant you were pack.” The longer he spoke the heavier the scent became. He felt like he was being crushed by it. “Even though you were Scott’s pack, you were mine, too.” 

“I didn’t think that was possible…” 

“It shouldn’t be. But it happened.” 

Another wave of that scent caught Derek’s nose. It filled his lungs and veins, and made him feel like he was grounded and floating all at once. He took deep breath after deep breath, letting it consume him. 

Stiles noticed and was staring at him curiously. “What are your chemosignals telling you?” 

“I don’t know,” Derek admitted. “It smells a lot like desire, but not quite… The closest I can guess is… want.” 

“Oh, Derek,” Stiles moved closer to the wolf in front of him and lightly placed his hand over his heart. “Has it really been so long since someone loved you that you no longer recognize the scent?” 

_Love_.

The word crashed down on his chest and a flood of memories swept over him; his mother squeezing him tight before laying him down for bed and kissing his cheek, his father twirling his mother in the kitchen while they danced to the music playing from his grandfather’s record player, his uncle holding his newborn daughter for the first time.

“Love…” he whispered. 

“Yes, love,” Stiles reaffirmed.

“Why?” Derek asked for the third time in their short conversation.

Stiles smiled fondly at him. “Because… Your presence relaxes me. Your touch calms me. You’re the person I rely on. I turn to you first when I need advice. I trust you implicitly,” he said, repeating Derek’s own words back to him. Slowly, giving Derek the opportunity to stop him, Stiles moved so he was now straddling his thighs. Derek didn’t move to push him away, but he was now gripping the couch very tightly, as if trying to hold himself back. Gently, Stiles cupped Derek’s beard clad cheeks in his hands, and looked directly into his blue-green eyes. “I may not be a werewolf, but you’re my anchor, too,” he confessed. “I don’t care what anyone else says about you, because they don’t know what you’ve been though. They don’t know the weight you’re carrying on your shoulders, constantly trying to prove you’re more than your reputation and that you're worthy of your family’s legacy. They don’t see any of that, but I do. Derek, you deserve to be loved and trusted… and happy, and I want to give you that.” 

“Stiles…” Derek started to protest, but the younger man held firm.

“All I need is you,” he asserted. “ _This_ you. The flawed werewolf, who’s carrying enough baggage for a whole pack and who will throw himself into danger if it means keeping the people he cares about safe. _This_ you. The man, who has a brooding problem and is the most stubborn ass I know, who pretends to be a Slytherin even though you're really a Hufflepuff, and who has the best eyebrow game in the whole country. I want all of that, because _this_ is the you I love, and I’ll give you all of me, in return… if you want me,” he added unsurely, pulling his hands into his lap and looking down at them.

“I don’t know…” Derek murmured, but there was a playfulness in his voice. Stiles eyes snapped forward and he saw the smile playing on Derek’s lips. He really wanted to lick it, but refrained. “I think I may be getting the short end of the stick,” he joked. 

Stiles scoffed and went to swat at Derek’s chest, but Derek caught him by the wrist and brought his hand to his mouth. Lightly, he brushed Stiles’ knuckles against his lips and the mood immediately changed from teasing to something more heated. Derek pulled on Stiles wrist, forcing him to lean forward so they were mere inches apart.

“Derek?” Stiles gasped at the change in position. 

“Do you mean it?” Derek asked, his eye’s falling from Stiles’ eyes to his mouth and the way Stiles was biting his bottom lip?

“Every word,” Stiles whispered his reply.

“You’ll give me all of you?” Derek leaned forward slightly and now their noses were nearly touching. 

“Uh-huh.”

“For the rest of our lives?” 

“If you decide you want to keep me that long.”

“Can I kiss you now?” 

“Yes, _please_ ,” Stiles begged. 

When their lips met, it was soft and sweet, and it made Stiles’ skin tingle. He could feel the magic reacting within his body and it made him crave more. They stayed like that for a while, learning the feel of one another and how they flowed together. Derek traced his hands over Stiles’ sides and Stiles hummed contentedly, lacing his fingers through the hair at the nape of Derek’s neck and pulling him closer. He failed to suppress a moan of delight when Derek’s finger tips brushed against the bare skin of his hip and continued upward, pushing his shirt completely out of the way and steadily applying more pressure. It was intense and full of all the emotions they had finally confessed. 

By the time Derek decided to deepen the kiss, Stiles felt like he was about to vibrate right out of his skin. Then suddenly, he was lifted off the couch, Derek holding him up by cupping his ass, and moved to Derek’s bed, where he was placed carefully in the middle of the bed before Derek draped himself atop the smaller man and began attacking his mouth once again.

Eventually, they pulled apart, much to Stiles’ whining in protest. He was no where near ready to be done. But a new thrill ran through him when he remembered he would get to do this again, and more. Definitely more.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this… this electricity. It’s invigorating.” Derek didn’t say anything, he was just watching Stiles cautiously. “What?” he asked, feeling anxious under Derek’s gaze.

“You really mean it, don’t you?” Derek asked with uncertainty. “That you’ll stay with me for the rest of our lives?” 

Stiles laughed lightly and carded his fingers through Derek’s hair. He smiled bright and genuine up at the man who was staring intently down at him. “You’re all I want, Derek. I wasn’t lying when I said, ‘All I need is you.’” 

Derek sighed in relief, having heard Stiles’ unwavering heart. Without another word, he laid down next to his anchor and pulled him against his chest. He basked in the scent of love radiating off of Stiles, no longer feeling choked by it, because he was actually starting to believe it was something he deserved.

Derek may have had a bad reputation, but none of that mattered as long as he had Stiles.

**Author's Note:**

> So, thoughts? Opinions? All comments and kudos are loved and appreciated! 
> 
> If you liked this, feel free to check out my other works (please read the tags, because they aren't all light and fluffy), or wait a week. I'll probably have something new posted :D 
> 
> If you have a request, leave it in the comments or shoot me a message on tumblr! http://superwhowolflocked.tumblr.com/
> 
> Thanks again for reading my fic ♥


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